This photo essay was written by photographer John Crouch, who took the accompanying 27 photos (among others) for the Mockingbird Foundation at Hampton shows in 2009 and 2025.

Sixteen years ago, I went to Hampton to see my favorite band in the world. Just five years prior they said they'd never play again, so of course these shows were extremely special. Not only did I get to go to this very special reunion but I was going there as a photographer of the Mockingbird Foundation to capture the experience for the upcoming PC2 book. I don't think I'm alone here, but they are more than a band today me, they've been a big part of most things I've done in my life.

To stand in Hampton coliseum at the lip of the stage waiting for the band to come out in a room full of quite possibly the most animated, inebriated, unique, and diverse fan base in the world, is the rush concert photographers are chasing. The moment when the band hits the stage and the energy level between fans and the four immediately hits high gear.

We get to see the band right when they walk onto the stage, both times I’ve shot at Hampton Fluffhead was the opener for the weekend. Night one 2025 Fluffhead clearly had the band focused, there were a lot of notes and a very complicated arrangement. My realization from this experience was it’s not always comfortable playing some of these songs for the band. On contrast, night two brought what seemed like a more enjoyable and relaxed vibe from the band opening with Boogie On Reggae Woman.

Phish loves two rooms more than any other it seems, Hampton and MSG. Both spaces have been home to many great shows and special occasions for the band (all "reunion" shows included these venues). We've heard Trey talk about the sound and energy he gets from playing in a round room.

Hampton is outdated, difficult to get into, difficult to situate yourself, there aren't a lot of bathrooms, and it’s warm. You’ll find CK5 casually climbing over fans on the floor walking to his post in the middle of the venue floor. Hampton is raw and very special.

My early years of Phish were fed with Hampton Comes Alive prior to joining the taper/live recording collector life, to reiterate the gravity of this venue in my Phish life. To say being back again in 2025 was surreal would be quite an understatement.

Phish tour always draws out a healing experience for me. Being with friends and focusing on one, fun thing is a rare occasion. Everyone is there to have as much as fun as they possibly can and escape whatever reality might be hitting in life at that time, it’s ideal. When the band plays, we travel places in our minds, photography and the live show recordings help us relive it.

Of course, in 2009, I was ready for the opportunity, I’d been at Coventry shooting the final shows and left destroyed. So when I went back to Hampton, I was ready, two camera bodies, all the right lenses. I’d had five years to think through it and was there to seize the opportunity, I shot the lots, lines, Mockingbird Foundation poster event, and I maybe was even planning to tape the show?

2025 was a different story, I haven’t officially shot Phish since 2012 I believe, I reached out to Phish.net to see if we could maybe get it going again. Ellis Goddard and I exchanged emails and casually made the request for press access. We didn’t hear back so I packed my things and left for Virginia without my camera gear.

Of course, as it’s happened in other situations, access came the morning of the show. I had a decision to make. Hang with my friends and experience Phish like I have since 2012, without responsibility. Or… try and figure it out and get back in the game. My wife confirmed what I already knew to be true: Find a camera and make a plan. Thanks to DigitalLensRental, I was able to secure gear and was ready to shoot after a long day running around town. Good thing I skipped the night zero party!

The photographers I met and worked with that weekend were so great. We hung outside the venue until 7:15 PM (all my friends were long into the venue saving seats, thanks team!) so we got some time to get to know each other a little better. I shot next to and met great talents- @butiwasthere @wallyographypw @maggievmiles and a few others.

We were escorted into the venue by Live Nation and Hampton Coliseum staff where we signed waivers and did a little more waiting knowing the band typically won’t hit the stage until 8pm. Its fun being up in the pit prior to the show, like I mentioned earlier, the fan energy is next level.

Night one, I got to meet Jim Pollock and thanked him for all the great artwork over the years. I told him about my Phoenix Pollock 2009 Hampton print and about how it lives with a bunch of his other artwork in a long hallway in my house. He shared his journey with me a bit and was proud to say that he chased his dream even when friends and family reminded him Van Gogh died broke. Somehow, he landed into a community and a life with artwork that could not have worked out better. A great story to kick off the night. He was front row night one and night three with his crew. They were raging.

(We traded stickers with fans. This seems to be a thing now. Bring stickers to Phish?)

I met a couple the second night and the woman was wearing a t-shirt of the 2009 Pollock Phoenix Print, I asked her if she was there and she said it was her first show. Sixteen years later she’s notched 70 Phish shows! Press photographers at a concert are shameless about taking photos of the front row fans, who mostly are shameless for it (or that’s how it feels). I snagged a couple good ones of them and was able to share them.

Shooting Phish is exhilarating and difficult. We want to capture the action, light show, and of course get a great photo of each band member. Trey and Mike are easy. Trey full of energy and happiness and Mike, loves to look deeply into the lens (see photo).

Trey is a ham, connecting with as many fans and photographers as he can, drawing energy in. Mike will willingly look deeply into your lens frequenttly. When they open with First Tube, you’d better be ready for Trey’s antics. I can’t say I was, but it sure was fun. If you’re looking for a challenge, Fish and Page are tougher to catch in our 15 minutes (or 3 songs but we know that’s never happening) shooting in the pit.

Once we’re finished shooting, we go back to office to leave our gear there for the night. Phish official photogs Wally and Rene will be roaming the venue shooting all over but our job is done officially once we leave the pit. The venue is kind enough to store our gear until after the show as just about every photog there is also a fan and definitely staying for night. Big thanks to Nanomi and Dee for the great hospitality, thanks to Phish and Red Light for granting three nights of access. Our photo crew started to become friends by the end of the weekend. I had no doubt in my mind that would happen. It’s a special band and a special place.

Editing photos after the show can be fun and interesting. I was with a big crew in a large house and the party was going strong. Staying focused to hit my deadline for Phish.net was not the easiest. Just another element of doing Phish work. Many years ago it was editing photos and tapes from the show (Schoeps 41v DFC of course) in the hotel rooms or air bnbs, trying to get the shows and photos up as soon as possible.

Loads of little memories are running through my mind from the weekend connecting the two times I’ve shot at the Mothership. The strongest though is deep gratitude because we’ve got a band.

Phish has been the soundtrack of my life, work, college, driving/flying (I’m a sales person so this happens a lot) and the shows bring renewal. The complicated songs twist my brain and push my thoughts to expand, the dancy tunes bring a bounce to my step, and the melodic tunes open up deep thought and appreciation for life and my place in this world. Many of us have put in a lot of work on this band listening or somehow contributing to the community, at least 10,000 hours.

I’m honored to be a part of the Mockingbird Foundation and donate my photography and time to the cause and of course to be as big a part of this Phish community as I can. The pile of Phish shows I’ve shot and seen all run together and the photography helps us relive the memories.

Please enjoy my photos, and share the gratitude for these moments with our friends, family, and music! Photography is great to keep us in the loop with what we’ve done in life, these occasions at Hampton are second to none.

If you liked this blog post, one way you could "like" it is to make a donation to The Mockingbird Foundation, the sponsor of Phish.net. Support music education for children, and you just might change the world.